LOGICAL FALLACY II AP LANG

Genetic Fallacy

Judging something as good or bad based solely on its origin.

Hasty Generalization

Drawing a conclusion from insufficient or biased evidence.

Loaded Question

A question that contains an assumption, making it impossible to answer without accepting that assumption.

Moral Equivalence

Comparing a minor offense to a major atrocity as though they are equally immoral.

No True Scotsman

Dismissing relevant criticism by redefining a group or standard to exclude counterexamples.

Personal Incredulity

Claiming something must be false because it is difficult to understand or believe.

Red Herring

A distraction that shifts attention away from the central issue.

Slippery Slope

Asserting that one small step will inevitably lead to a chain of extreme outcomes.

Special Pleading

Ignoring evidence that contradicts a claim or insisting on exceptions without justification.

Straw Man

Misrepresenting an opponent’s argument in an oversimplified or distorted way, then attacking that weaker version.

Syllogism

A form of reasoning where if A equals B and B equals C, then A equals C.

Texas Sharpshooter

Picking data that fits a desired conclusion while ignoring data that does not.